By Dr. Shawn Bladel
Viral Storms: Why Hidden Viruses Keep You From Healing
By Dr. Shawn Bladel | July 30, 2025 | Recreated Health
If you’ve been doing “all the right things” — eating clean, detoxing, taking supplements, balancing hormones — but still feel sick, drained, or stuck in cycles of flare-ups… you may be caught in what I call a Viral Storm.
If you’ve been doing “all the right things” — eating clean, detoxing, taking supplements, balancing hormones — but still feel sick, drained, or stuck in cycles of flare-ups… You may be caught in what I call a Viral Storm.
A viral storm happens when dormant viruses in your body “reactivate,” overwhelming your immune system, damaging your mitochondria, and inflaming your nervous system [1][2]. This isn’t just about catching a cold. Viral reactivations are one of the most overlooked reasons people don’t heal — even when they’re addressing other root causes.
In this article, we’ll break down what viral storms are, how they develop, why they block your healing, the symptoms they create, how you can test for them at home, and most importantly, the natural strategies I teach to help your body recover.
What Are Viral Storms?
A viral storm isn’t caused by one single virus. It’s when multiple dormant viruses reactivate at once, creating a storm of inflammation and immune dysfunction.
Many viruses never fully leave the body after the first infection. Instead, they go dormant in tissues and nerves, waiting for the right conditions — stress, nutrient deficiencies, toxins, or immune suppression — to reactivate [3].
Some of the most common viruses involved in viral storms include:
- Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV): Linked to chronic fatigue, Hashimoto’s, and autoimmunity [4].
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV): Contributes to immune exhaustion and cardiovascular stress [5].
- Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2): Known for outbreaks, but can also reactivate internally.
- Varicella-Zoster Virus (Shingles): Causes nerve pain and rashes when reactivated.
- HHV-6 and HHV-7: Tied to chronic fatigue and neurological issues [6].
On their own, these viruses can be taxing. But when two, three, or more reactivate together, the immune system is thrown into chaos — that’s the storm.
Why Viral Storms Happen
Viruses reactivate because the terrain of the body becomes weakened [7]. This can happen due to:
- Nutrient deficiencies (low zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin D)
- Chronic stress & poor sleep (suppressing immune surveillance)
- Toxic overload (mold, heavy metals, chemical exposure)
- Parasitic or bacterial infections that create an environment for viral reactivation
- Mitochondrial dysfunction — when your energy factories are weak, the immune system can’t fight properly [8]
- Hormonal imbalances (thyroid and adrenal dysfunction) that lower defenses
When these stressors pile up, dormant viruses sense the opportunity and reawaken. The result? Your body is now fighting on multiple fronts at once — leaving you feeling like you’ll never fully recover.
How Viral Storms Keep You From Healing
A viral storm doesn’t just cause short-term illness. It creates deep, systemic issues that prevent your body from healing — even if you’re doing everything else right.
1. Immune System Drain
Each reactivated virus demands constant immune attention. Instead of having a strong defense system, your immune cells become exhausted and distracted. This opens the door for other infections, allergies, and autoimmune reactions [9].
2. Mitochondrial Damage
Viruses hijack mitochondria — the energy factories in every cell. This is why many people with viral reactivations experience:
- Extreme fatigue
- Exercise intolerance
- Post-exertional “crashes”
- Slow recovery from illness [8]
3. Nervous System Inflammation
Many viruses (like EBV and herpes viruses) hide in nerve tissue. When they reactivate, they inflame the nervous system, causing:
- Brain fog and memory problems
- Anxiety or depression
- Sleep disturbances
- Tingling, numbness, or nerve pain [10]
This is why viral storms can look like a “mystery illness” — they affect multiple systems at once.
Common Symptoms of a Viral Storm
While symptoms vary depending on which viruses are active, common patterns include:
- Crushing fatigue (never refreshed after sleep)
- Persistent headaches or migraines
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sore throat or low-grade fevers
- Unexplained muscle or joint pain
- Digestive flare-ups (bloating, IBS symptoms)
- Neurological issues (brain fog, mood changes)
- Hormonal crashes (thyroid or adrenal dysfunction)
If these sound familiar, your body may be battling more than one reactivated virus at the same time.
Customized Testing for Viral Reactivation
Mainstream labs rarely test for viral reactivation unless you’re acutely ill. That’s why I recommend functional testing for deeper insights.
1. Organic Acids Test (OAT Test)
- A simple urine test that reveals metabolic stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and gut imbalances.
👉 Order the OAT Test here
2. Functional Viral Panels
- Markers like EBV Early Antigen, CMV IgG/IgM, and HHV-6 titers can show reactivation.
- These panels also track nutrient and immune status alongside viral load. The best way to see a complete picture of all viral load and infection risk is through an opportunistic panel. This panel looks at IgG, IgM, and DNA detection (PCR) of the following infections: EBV, CMV, HHV-6, HHV-7, HSV-1, HSV-2, along with Parvovirus, Toxoplasmosis, and Strep A.
👉 Order the Opportunistic Panel here
The Recreated Health Approach to Viral Storms
At Recreated Health, we don’t just suppress symptoms — we support the terrain of the body so it can naturally calm viral activity. My 3-phase approach is key:
Phase 1: Remove (Reduce the Burden)
- Support drainage pathways with herbs and binders
- Gentle detoxification of liver, kidneys, and lymph
- Parasite cleansing to eliminate co-infections fueling viral activity
👉 Download my Parasite Cleansing Guide
Phase 2: Restore (Rebuild the Terrain)
- Replenish nutrients like zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin D, glutathione [11]
- Repair gut lining and support digestion (70% of the immune system is in the gut) [12]
- Support mitochondria with CoQ10, L-carnitine, PQQ, and adaptogens
Phase 3: Rebuild (Strengthen Long-Term)
- Nervous system support with calming herbs and minerals
- Strategic immune modulation (not overstimulation)
- Lifestyle practices: deep sleep, sunlight, grounding, stress regulation
This phased approach helps calm viral storms and prevents future reactivation cycles.
Supplements & Natural Supports
Some natural tools I frequently recommend include:
- Viral support herbs (like lomatium, licorice root, monolaurin)
- Mitochondria protectors (CoQ10, NAC, PQQ – MitoActive)
- Immune-balancing nutrients (vit D, zinc, selenium – Core Nutrients)
- Binders (CellCore BioToxin Binder)
- Adaptogens (ashwagandha, Rhodiola)
Final Thoughts
A viral storm is one of the most overlooked root causes of chronic illness and stalled healing. If you’ve been addressing your health but still feel stuck, multiple viral reactivations could be draining your energy and inflaming your nervous system.
Healing is possible. With the right testing, functional support, and step-by-step strategies, you can calm the storm and finally move forward.
References
- Virgin HW. Science. 2014.
- De Vlaminck I, et al. Cell. 2013.
- Ablashi DV, et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2010.
- Bjornevik K, et al. Science. 2022.
- Griffiths PD. J Clin Virol. 2012.
- Chapenko S, et al. J Clin Virol. 2012.
- Chousterman BG, et al. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017.
- Carmen J, Sinai P, et al. Front Microbiol. 2021.
- Wherry EJ, et al. Nat Immunol. 2011.
- Sokol CL, Luster AD. Nat Immunol. 2015.
- Prasad AS. Annu Rev Nutr. 1995.
- Belkaid Y, Hand TW. Nat Rev Immunol. 2014.
